One way to cook meat or ribs is to smoke it at 250 degrees. However, many people aren’t sure how long to smoke ribs at 250 degrees. So, actually there is no standard time about this. Smoking ribs to get ribs that are cooked, tender and juicy requires varying amounts of time. This depends on the thickness of the ribs, the type of ribs, the temperature and humidity of the smoker.
So, in this article we will review how long to smoke ribs at 250 degrees to get tender and delicious ribs. First, let’s look at the types of ribs!
Types Of Ribs
If you want to cook ribs or want to smoke ribs, you can buy any ribs you like. On the market there are two types of ribs that you can get, pork ribs and beef ribs. Usually what is very popular for smoking is pork ribs, the reason is simple because pork ribs are cheaper compared to beef ribs. But for those of you who want to be healthier, of course beef ribs are the choice, this jam is also halal for all religious adherents to eat.
Meanwhile, the (cheaper priced) pork ribs come in three different cuts. These are spareribs, baby back ribs, and St. John’s wort. Louis style ribs. Spareribs are a large variety of pork ribs and have a lot of meat in them, while baby back ribs are smaller and contain less fat. Then the last one is St. Louis style ribs, these are trimmed down spareribs and cut to a uniform shape.
Beef ribs, although a bit expensive, are also popular ribs among people who are concerned with health and a healthy diet. In terms of size and shape, beef ribs are similar to pork spareribs. Meanwhile, beef short ribs are slightly smaller than beef back ribs and contain more fat.
Ok, before we look at how long to smoke ribs at 250 degrees, let’s first take a look at which types of ribs work best for smoking.
What Is The Best Type Of Rib?
It’s not really what ribs are best, it all depends on individual taste. If you want a lot of meat, especially pork, pork spareribs is the choice. But if you want less fat then the choice is baby back ribs or St. John’s wort. Louis style ribs.
However, if you want the ribs you smoke to have a more intense, healthy taste, then beef ribs are a no-brainer choice for you. The price is a little expensive, but the taste will not disappoint.
Thickness Of Ribs
Ok, talking about how long to smoke beef ribs at 250 degrees, this cannot be separated from the thickness of the ribs. So, apart from the type of rib, its thickness greatly influences the length of time it takes to smoke it.
The thicker the ribs, the longer it will take to smoke them, if you have 1 thick pork spareribs, it will take 3-4 hours. Meanwhile, if you have 1/2 thick pork spareribs, then the time needed for smoking is between 2-3 hours.
Smoker Temperature And Humidity
Humidity and smoker temperature also play a role in how long it takes to smoke beef or pork ribs. If the smoker is very hot, the ribs will cook quickly, but there is a drawback, namely that the meat is not tender. However, if the smoker is too cold, the time needed to smoke will be longer, and your ribs will not reach the desired level of tenderness. So, for the expected results, the smoker’s ideal heat level is very important. The ideal smoker temperature for smoking ribs is between 225 degrees F – 250 degrees F.
The way to keep the smoker temperature always ideal is to use a digital thermometer, this tool allows you to monitor the smoker temperature and easily adjust it.
Apart from the ideal heat level, smoker humidity is also important, if the humidity is high, the ribs will cook more slowly, and they will be tough. If the humidity is too low, the ribs will cook quickly and won’t be tender. So, ideal humidity is important for smoking ribs. So, the ideal humidity for smoking ribs is 30%-40%.
What Temperature Should Ribs Be Smoked At?
Because there are several things that must be considered as above, smoking ribs must be at the ideal temperature. The ideal temperature is between 225 to 250 F. We all want delicious, tender ribs, so use that temperature and the ideal humidity is also between 30-40%.
Smoking the ribs at 225 or 250F will allow the ribs to cook slowly and this will give them a good level of doneness, tender and juicy aka not tough.
How Long To Smoke Ribs At 250 Degrees?
Now that we know what the ideal temperature is for smoking ribs, the next question is how long does it take to smoke ribs at 250.
So, if you smoke ribs at that ideal temperature (250 degrees Fahrenheit) then your cooking times are as follows:
- For pork spareribs that are 1” thick, the time needed to smoke is between 3-4 hours.
- For pork spareribs that are 1/2” thick, this must be smoked for between 2-3 hours.
- For beef back ribs that are 1” thick, they must be smoked for a duration of between 3-4 hours.
- Meanwhile for beef short ribs that are 1” thick, these should be smoked longer with a duration of between 4-5 hours.
This is a cooking time based on smoking the ribs at 250 F and measured with a digital thermometer.
If you want your ribs to be fall-off-the-bone tender, then they should be smoked until the internal temperature of the ribs reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is the cooking time for the ideal smoker temperature which is 225 – 250F. You can be guided by this cooking time, but always use a digital thermometer to check the internal temperature level of the ribs.
Recommendation:
What Is The Best Wood For Smoking Ribs?
Smoking ribs also requires understanding the type of wood used, because different woods will have different aromas in the smoked ribs. So, some popular options for smoking ribs are hickory, oak, and cherry wood.
Hickory and oak are two types of hard and strong wood, this will give the ribs a strong smoky aroma. Meanwhile cherry is a softer type of wood and this will give a sweet taste to the ribs.
So, the point is to experiment with various woods, you will find the type of wood that suits your preferences.
How To Smoke Ribs At 250 Degrees Fahrenheit
OK, we all know and agree that smoking ribs should be at the ideal temperature so that they are cooked well, tender and juicy. The ideal temperature for smoking ribs is 225F-250F. Now let’s see how to smoke ribs at 250 degrees.
So, you have to adjust the grill according to the factory settings, then make a fire in two zones, and place the coals on one side, while the other side is left empty without coals. Once the grill is hot, place the ribs on the side without charcoal, close the grill.
Now, you are cooking the ribs, cook for 3-4 hours or until the ribs are tender and of course well cooked. Brush the ribs with the barbecue sauce for the last hour, remove your ribs from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes before you cut them.
Ok, the cooking process is ready and now let’s see how to smoke it.
Heat the smoker to 250 F using your preferred wood chips. Season the ribs, using the spices of your choice. Now it’s time to put the ribs in the smoker, smoke them for 3-4 hours or until they are tender.
Now take the ribs out of the smoker and wrap them in foil. Put the wrapped ribs back into the smoker and cook for another 30 minutes. Remove from the smoker and let sit for 10 minutes, and then cut your ribs.
If you want to get the ribs with the best doneness, use a temperature of 250F to smoke your ribs. When cooked, your ribs will be tender and juicy. The method is simple and you can easily follow this method of smoking ribs.
Up here, you already know how long to smoke ribs at 250 degrees and also the steps and how to cook ribs and smoke them at 250F.
How To Tell When Ribs Are Done
Using a digital thermometer is the best way to find out whether smoked ribs are cooked or not. When cooked, pork ribs should have an internal temperature of 145 F, while beef ribs are only considered perfectly cooked when the internal temperature is 190 F.
If you want the ribs to be tender and delicious, then cook them until the internal temperature reaches 190 F.
So, a digital thermometer is important so that we know whether the internal temperature of the ribs has reached the intended temperature, so this is very important so that we eat ribs that are truly cooked and safe.
How To Store Smoked Ribs
Storing smoked ribs is important when you can’t finish them. It is important to save the leftover ribs, considering that cooking them is also difficult and requires a lot of skill to achieve perfect doneness, tenderness and juiciness.
We can store smoked ribs in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen in the freezer for up to 3 months. For freezing, you must use foil or freezer-safe plastic so that freezer burn does not occur.
If you store smoked ribs in the refrigerator or freezer, of course when you want to use them you have to reheat them. So, how do you reheat smoked ribs? The best way to reheat smoked ribs is to use a low temperature oven (250F), or you can also use a slow cooker at a low temperature.
How to Choose Good Ribs for Smoked
When you want to smoke ribs, whether beef ribs or pork ribs, of course you have to choose the best ones so that they are cooked well and have a good taste. So, how do you actually choose the best ribs to smoke?
So, when choosing ribs, it is important to choose ribs that are well marbled, as this can keep the ribs moist, and not dry out during smoking.
Baby back ribs, spare ribs, and St. Louis style ribs are three types of ribs that are great for smoking. So, avoid using lean cuts of meat, such as loin or tenderloin, this type will dry out quickly when smoked, so it won’t be tender and juicy.
